Buffalo Bills Discussion

[fischbowl]

If theres any year to go to Canton, it's this one

[Iamcanadian]

Originally Posted by Biscuit

The C-2 is not dead, correct, but it is being used by fewer teams as a base package defense. That was the core point of the article and what I was saying. The C-2 truly is a terrible fit for the Bills, and based upon the personnel moves they made in 2008 I see that they have acknowledged it, especially with the defense they were running during the season. The C-2 encourages teams to run on you, if you can't generate a pass rush, and have lighter, quicker yet less stout players in your front 4 then teams will try to wash out your front and pound the ball. Buffalo suffered from all that in the past, they did not ever acquire the talent and furthermore they play in an environment where rushing the ball becomes a key for December games.

As I previously said, the teams that acquire the best players for their particular defense usually end up with the better defense no matter what scheme you use. HC's come and go, some prefer the 3-4, some prefer the basic 4-3 and some like the Cover 2. Each defense has its strengths and weaknesses and offenses will attack the weaknesses and try and defend the strengths. There is no proof that one defense is better than another. When Indy and Chicago got to the SB, the Cover 2 was the rage, NE and Pittsburgh have made the 3-4 look good and the Giants have made the basic 4-3 look good although they did use a lot of Cover 2 ideas like using Tuck as a underweight pass rushing DT. I just don't see many teams dropping the Cover 2 defense but I agree that maybe Buffalo could use some better qualified players to make it work better. We need a small DE(under 270lbs. and maybe smaller) who is a pass rushing specialist because in the end the Cover 2 starts with the front 4's ability to apply pressure. If it fails to apply pressure then it exposes the back 7 to an easy attack. The Cover 2 also depends on the front 4 penetrating and breaking up running plays before they get started but your right, the Cover 2's strength is against the pass and it is more vulnerable to running plays.
I don't think Buffalo is prepared to give up on the Cover 2 defense just yet, They made a commitment to it when they drafted Whitner, McCargo, Williams and drafted CB more suitable to the Cover 2. A switch doesn't make your defense immediately better, it just creates more holes where suitable personnel have to be found.
I think if our financial situation has improved through the sale of games to Toronto and we are able to retain our own FA's and maybe sign a few for ourselves then we are a team on the verge of being a solid playoff contender. Our QB is entering his 3rd year when most pro QB's finally blossom
and with a minor change here or there, it should be a very effective offense by next year. Our defense is in the same shape where an addition here or there should be enough for it to excel. This is not the time for a major overhaul of our defense which will then take another 2 or 3 years to jell. If we don't make a quantum leap next year then we may need to change HC's and it will be up to the new HC to decide if a defensive scheme change is necessary, it isn't going to happen under Jauron. He doesn't have the time left to rebuild the defense with a new scheme, he would be fired before then so he'll ride out the Cover 2 till he is either fired or he succeeds.

[ruthlessrussian]

That about sums it up.

I would hate to see anything major happen to our defense minus some additions. The only reason we have been competitive the last couple of years is because of it. Our defense is a lot better then most people think, but it does need some work.

No big changes. No switching to 3-4 just because. Lets continue to work with what we have been building, use that continuity, and start winning some damn games.

[Splat]

Bills re-sign special teams ace and WR Jenkins

[Crickett]

Justin Jenkins. I thought he and James Newson were going to be udfa gems back in the day.

[Vox Populi]

Anyone else tired about hearing Schobel being a lot worse now than he used to be? I find that people are failing to realize that hes been the only pass rusher on the team for his entire career and that teams basically just need to take him out and then they are pretty much good to drop back and pass whenever they want as long as their linemen can recognize the rare times that we actually blitz the quarterback.

I really want us to get another pass rushing end in the draft or free agency, but I REALLY hope that we play them at Left End rather than screw with Schobel. If anything we should look for another mid-round pass rusher, like Ellis, again this year. I don't care if they don't contribute much as rookies as long as they aren't a pilon out there like Kelsay and Denney (assuming the tackles don't fall over).

I know we need pass rushers, but I think it should be from the left side rather than the right. I know Everette Brown played a lot of left end in college, he mostly played the left side against Boston College but apparently he played right end for them this year and left end last year?? If we pick up a first round end I REALLY want it to be Brown or no one.

[diabsoule]

Bills | Crowell unlikely to return
Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:48:16 -0800

Mark Gaughan, of The Buffalo News, reports Buffalo Bills LB Angelo Crowell, who is an impending free agent, is expected to sign with another team when free agency begins, according to league sources.

Bills | Greer unlikely to return
Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:34:38 -0800

Mark Gaughan, of The Buffalo News, reports Buffalo Bills CB Jabari Greer, who is an impending free agent, is expected to sign with another team when free agency begins, according to league sources.

[Bills2083]

Originally Posted by diabsoule

Bills | Crowell unlikely to return
Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:48:16 -0800

Mark Gaughan, of The Buffalo News, reports Buffalo Bills LB Angelo Crowell, who is an impending free agent, is expected to sign with another team when free agency begins, according to league sources.

Bills | Greer unlikely to return
Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:34:38 -0800

Mark Gaughan, of The Buffalo News, reports Buffalo Bills CB Jabari Greer, who is an impending free agent, is expected to sign with another team when free agency begins, according to league sources.

The Bills offered Greer a 5-year, $20 million deal.
He'd be stupid to take that.

[SuperMcGee]

That's nothing unexpected. At corner I feel we're just about set. 1-2 McCoverage with Corner or Youboty as a nickel, I can live with that. We need to bring in a new starter at linebacker, though. Ellison and the delivery man are just good backups (I'd prefer DiGiorgio). Bowen is just a STer.

[Bills2083]

Originally Posted by SuperMcgee

That's nothing unexpected. At corner I feel we're just about set. 1-2 McCoverage with Corner or Youboty as a nickel, I can live with that. We need to bring in a new starter at linebacker, though. Ellison and the delivery man are just good backups (I'd prefer DiGiorgio). Bowen is just a STer.

But...
If the Bills tried to resign Greer, then that means they feel having 3 good CBs is important.
So if we don't resign him, we have McGee, McKelvin, Youboty, and Corner.
But they might still want to sign/draft another one, right?

[fischbowl]

We'd have to, CB now becomes priority. I agree with McGee, a starter has to be brought in at WLB

[Bills2083]

Originally Posted by fischbowl

We'd have to, CB now becomes priority. I agree with McGee, a starter has to be brought in at WLB

Two things...

1.) Do you think the cornerback would be a veteran/rookie, starter/backup?
2.) I thought Mitchell was WLB... Unless you're planning on sliding him over to SLB.

[fischbowl]

Originally Posted by Bills2083

Two things...

1.) Do you think the cornerback would be a veteran/rookie, starter/backup?
2.) I thought Mitchell was WLB... Unless you're planning on sliding him over to SLB.

I'd say it'd have to be a veteran. We already have a project in McKelvin.

Always mix up SLB and WLB, my fault

[Bills2083]

Originally Posted by fischbowl

I'd say it'd have to be a veteran. We already have a project in McKelvin.

Always mix up SLB and WLB, my fault

Do you know what good CBs will be available?
If they're not willing to give the money to Greer, then that means we'll have to get someone that isn't at Greer's talent level.

[SuperMcGee]

Originally Posted by Bills2083

But...
If the Bills tried to resign Greer, then that means they feel having 3 good CBs is important.
So if we don't resign him, we have McGee, McKelvin, Youboty, and Corner.
But they might still want to sign/draft another one, right?

Sure they would. But I just look at what we have and sort of like it. It's young and Youboty is unreliable, but there's no need for drastic change. I was pretty critical of McKelvin last year, McGee went from stellar to crap after the injury (he came on as the weeks passed, though). There will be another piece added to the group, yes. It's actually sort of an unreliable group as it stands, but I'm putting my trust in them. This is nothing more than how I feel, but what more do you want from me? I would take Jabari back without thinking twice about it, and welcome any new corner if it was a good investment, but we have bigger needs.

[pysseddoph]

for me this year dont look good but next offseason is going to look great for the new HC.

with greer walking that is going to put pressure on the defense that wasnt there before. greer was pretty solid as the #1 corner. dont get your feathers in a bunch. by the simple fact that greer played right corner and matched more often than not against an offense's X or #1 receiver ...

with greer gone that is one thing. the other is the bills moving donte to free safety. for sake of argument ... donte hasnt been that stellar in coverage and he always seems to be just that step or 2 away from preventing the play. with him playing free safety that makes he responsible for backside coverage fulltime now. mcgee has always needed backside protection so with donte being the it guy ... throwing towards mcgee is going to be even more of an adventure. especially if mckelvin gets the nod at right corner where he eventually took over for an injured greer. yeah passing on the bills should be fun this year.

[SuperMcGee]

Originally Posted by pysseddoph

for me this year dont look good but next offseason is going to look great for the new HC.

with greer walking that is going to put pressure on the defense that wasnt there before. greer was pretty solid as the #1 corner. dont get your feathers in a bunch. by the simple fact that greer played right corner and matched more often than not against an offense's X or #1 receiver ...

with greer gone that is one thing. the other is the bills moving donte to free safety. for sake of argument ... donte hasnt been that stellar in coverage and he always seems to be just that step or 2 away from preventing the play. with him playing free safety that makes he responsible for backside coverage fulltime now. mcgee has always needed backside protection so with donte being the it guy ... throwing towards mcgee is going to be even more of an adventure. especially if mckelvin gets the nod at right corner where he eventually took over for an injured greer. yeah passing on the bills should be fun this year.

I just foresee everybody effectively throwing underneath our massive cushions like they have been for 3 years. But good points nonetheless. I wouldn't say McGee has always needed that much protection, but he had enough rough games last year. Hopefully he comes in at 100% and can play like he did before getting hurt last year.

[SuperMcGee]

Dockery and Royal to be cut.
Royal is no surprise despite his locker room presence.
Dockery is pricy but it caught me off guard. No pun intended.

[fischbowl]

Originally Posted by SuperMcgee

Dockery and Royal to be cut.
Royal is no surprise despite his locker room presence.
Dockery is pricy but it caught me off guard. No pun intended.

Dockery was a leader on the line and easily our best lineman second to Peters, stupid move

[SuperMcGee]

Originally Posted by fischbowl

Dockery was a leader on the line and easily our best lineman second to Peters, stupid move

I disagree with getting rid of Dockery. In my mind, Walker has been our best lineman, but that's besides the point. This is a hole that we didn't need to create for ourselves, even at his price.

[TheBuffaloBills]

I really hope we cut Kelsay.

[BuffaloBillsFan]

Wow, cutting Dockery was a surprise but I can't say I disagree. It's going to be really interesting to see what direction we go in free agency. I'm hopeful that we can rid ourselves of Schobel and Kelsay as well.

[Rob S]

Hopefully I will be around more.......sorry for the extended absence. The DD move is interesting to say the least. I dont think anyone will argue that it improves our talent bc Dockery was at least average last year in what was a down year for him. However, it does save us a nice sum of money and IF(and thats a huge if) we use that money to sign a true difference maker, it could be worth it imo.

Also, the reasoning given seems to be that we are going to move to a lighter, more athletic line which I actually love. Whether it will come true, I have no idea, but it seem like a good plan to me because the behemoths we have had as of late have not been getting the job done.

[Vox Populi]

If they go lighter up front, Jackson fits that style so much more than Lynch, the man is at full speed before anyone else is, I love it, but its not the best for Lynch's style IMO.

[BuffaloBillsFan]

This free agency has been REALLY slow and boring, no big signings yet.